Butter Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze is rich, buttery, nutty, and just melts in your mouth. The toasted pecans give it a warm crunch, and the silky caramel glaze drips over the top like heaven.Here’s a tried-and-true recipe that always impresses 👇
🍰 Butter Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze
🍽️ Serves:
10–12 people
⏱️ Time:
Prep: 20 min | Bake: 1 hr 10 min | Cool: 30 min
Ingredients
🧈 For the Pound Cake:
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
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½ cup vegetable shortening (or use all butter for extra richness)
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2 cups granulated sugar
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1 cup light brown sugar, packed
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5 large eggs, room temperature
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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½ tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
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1 cup whole milk (or buttermilk for tang)
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2 tsp vanilla extract
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1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
🍯 For the Caramel Glaze:
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½ cup unsalted butter
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1 cup light brown sugar, packed
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¼ cup heavy cream (or milk)
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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Pinch of salt
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½–¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted (for thickening)
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Toast the pecans
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant.
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Cool and chop. Set aside.
2. Make the pound cake batter
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Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan (or tube pan).
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In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and both sugars until light and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes).
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
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Stir in vanilla and toasted pecans.
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Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
3. Bake
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Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 70–80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
4. Make the caramel glaze
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In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
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Add brown sugar and cream, whisking until smooth.
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Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
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Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
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Let cool 5–10 minutes, then whisk in powdered sugar until it reaches a pourable but thick consistency.
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(If it’s too thick, add a splash of cream; too thin, add more sugar.)
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5. Glaze the cake
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Place the cooled cake on a serving plate.
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Slowly pour warm caramel glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides.
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Sprinkle with a few extra chopped pecans for garnish (optional but gorgeous).
💡 Tips for Success
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Room temperature ingredients make the batter smoother and help the cake rise evenly.
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Don’t overbake — the cake should be moist and buttery inside.
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For a deeper caramel flavor, use dark brown sugar in the glaze.
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You can make the cake a day ahead; it actually tastes better the next day!
Would you like me to include a Brown Butter Pecan version (with nutty browned butter and a richer glaze)?
